Wasim Jaffer becomes the first batsman to score 1000 runs in a Ranji Trophy season twice

India’s domestic giant and evergreen batsman Wasim Jaffer has come up with yet another record. On Thursday, the 40-year-old Vidarbha batsman scored 34 in the first semi-final against Kerala in Wayanad to complete 1,000 runs this Ranji Trophy season, becoming the first batsman ever to score 1,000-plus runs twice in a single season.

In 2008-09, Jaffer scored 1,260 runs in 16 innings for Mumbai at an average of 84. A decade later, Jaffer has 1,003 runs from 13 innings and given his ongoing form, bettering the 2008-09 tally doesn’t look impossible.

Jaffer needed just 31 runs after belting 608 runs in just four innings

Jaffer, who hit 608 runs in his last four innings including a 206 against Uttarakhand in the quarter-finals, required only 31 runs to complete four-figure tally in the ongoing season. His chance came on the very first day itself after the visitors won the toss and asked Kerala to bat first. The hosts were blown away in just 28.4 overs, thanks to national pacer Umesh Yadav’s 7 for 48, his best bowling figures in first-class cricket, and Vidarbha were in with their batting turn.

Jaffer came in at No.3 after Vidarbha lost their first wicket on 33 and added 80 runs with his captain Faiz Fazal (75) to take his team’s score past that of Kerala. Jaffer took 52 balls for his 34 and his six fours en route. Vidarbha were 171 for 5 at stumps, taking a lead of 65 runs in a game which they look favourite to win to make yet another final.

Last week, Jaffer also made a record by becoming the first Indian as well as Asian batsman to score two double hundreds in first-class cricket after turning 40. A veteran of 251 FC matches, Jaffer is now less than 1,000 runs away from completing 20,000 runs. He has amassed 57 tons and 88 fifties in the format.

Jaffer’s international career spanned from 2000 to 2008 during when he played 31 Tests, scoring 1,944 runs with five hundreds and an average of 34-plus. The rise of Virender Sehwag around the same time saw the talented batsman from Mumbai not being able to extend his stay in international cricket for long.

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